Taking down the two guards with the tranquilizer arrows, Thea immediately approached them and removed their gas masks. After just a short contact, she could already feel the effects of the poison gas again. She estimated that she could only operate at about sixty percent of her usual strength now.
She picked up the gas masks and examined them. Although she knew that wearing them would prevent the poison gas from affecting her, the thought that they were pulled off the faces of the guards made her feel a bit disgusted. She decided to go for a quick resolution and not wear them, instead putting the two masks in her backpack to take back for analysis, which might help identify the components of the poison gas.
Time was of the essence, so Thea arrived at the chairs where Commissioner Gordon and his daughter were bound. She faced a dilemma as the guards had securely chained them with a large padlock. Her small arms and legs were not enough to break the chains, and searching the guards yielded no keys.
Time was running out, and Thea wasn't sure if there were surveillance cameras in the room. She controlled her Glider to float over and pulled out a sturdy iron chain from her Glider. This chain was originally used for emergency situations and could bear a weight of 500 kilograms.
Apologizing silently to Commissioner Gordon, she used the Glider's chain to tie them up even more securely, connecting it with their original chains. The way they were tied up ended up looking quite artistic, resembling a bundle of rice dumpling from a distance.
She controlled the Glider to slowly glide towards the door, pulling Gordon and Barbara along, while Thea pushed from behind. With the limited space on the Glider, especially since Layla was already onboard, there was nowhere else to put them. They would just have to hang on. Since they were already unconscious, she assumed they wouldn't mind.
The door frame was too low for the Glider to float out with people onboard. She didn't want to create too much noise, preferring to leave quietly and hopefully have a chance to rescue Robin later.
But Murphy's Law worked its magic, and just when she hoped not to be noticed, Thea heard the footsteps of people approaching.
Thea realized there must be surveillance in the room for such a swift response. She couldn't hesitate any longer and leaped onto the Glider, not even considering whether Commissioner Gordon and Barbara might get hurt, she shot out the door.
With sounds of clattering and banging, Thea dragged the two people out of the room like dead dogs, heedless of anything else. Amid the puzzled looks of several guards who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, she ascended rapidly with a "whoosh," soaring into the sky.
Below, sporadic gunfire could be heard but by now Thea had soared to an altitude of three hundred meters.
Although she could continue ascending, Thea knew she couldn't risk it with Gordon and his daughter hanging on, as she was unsure if they could withstand the altitude. She had anti-G suits, but they didn't.
Glancing sideways at Layla, the mature woman seemed uncomfortable, twisting around from time to time. Thea thought she had been courteous enough to Amanda, giving her deputy first-class treatment. Compared to the two below, it was nothing short of luxurious.
Dodging a rocket launcher, Thea knew she couldn't save Robin. Searchlights were now being set up, and a rough estimate revealed there were thirty to forty of them, all armed. However, they lacked experience in aerial combat, each one shooting aimlessly into the sky.
Sighing, Thea realized they couldn't reach her, and she couldn't descend either. Realizing she couldn't rescue Robin, she sighed in frustration and she could only wish him luck and hope he held on until they came to rescue him.
Arriving back at their temporary shelter, she found Felicity still unconscious. The prospect of finding an antidote seemed distant. Just as Thea was preparing to return and capture someone for interrogation, Lyla slowly regained consciousness.
"Who... kidnapped me? What is your purpose? I won't tell you anything," Lyla muttered intermittently, trying to stand up, but failing several times.
Impressive. Layla was the first person to wake up besides herself. So, does that mean the poison can be overcome without an antidote? Maybe it's because of the training agents receive, drinking coffee laced with drugs every day, pushing their tolerance to an inhuman level. But how did she wake up then? Was it through sheer willpower and physical strength?
Thea wasn't sure, but she still held Layla's shoulders. "Look carefully, I'm Thea Queen. We met a couple of days ago. You were attacked by the poison gas, and this is a room I found temporarily."
She wasn't sure if Lyla heard her clearly, as she seemed to be adjusting her focus, trying to see the face in front of her clearly.
It's easy when someone wakes up, but the hard part is when they don't. Thea had no medication on hand, and even if she did, she wouldn't dare use it recklessly. All she could do was resort to the old methods, pouring a basin of cold water and wiping Lyla's face with a towel.
Perhaps it was because Thea hadn't taken care of people before, or Layla wasn't accustomed to this passive approach. She weakly pushed Thea away, took a deep breath, and plunged her head into the water basin.
It must be said that her actions were clean and sharp, exuding a military aura. If it weren't for the inappropriate timing, Thea would have applauded and cheered for her. Layla had an air of dignity about her, a stark contrast to the person she would become in middle age, full of frustration and dissatisfaction. Time was indeed a butcher's knife.
With a splash, Layla abruptly lifted her head, wiping the water off her face. She glared fiercely at Thea. It took her a while to realize that the person in front of her might not be an enemy.
"Are you Thea? Where am I? And where are the others, my subordinates?" Despite recognizing Thea, Lyla remained vigilant, unsure if there was a conspiracy at play. Her entire body seemed poised to launch an attack at any moment.
It seemed she didn't hear what had been said earlier. Thea sighed and recounted the situation once again. "Here's what happened. Right now, there are only a few of us here, and they're all unconscious. It's just you and me awake. When I brought you back, I didn't see your subordinates. And even if I did, I wouldn't be able to recognize them."